Bird Flu News:

• An H5N1 isolate from a sick dairy worker may be able to replicate in human airway cells, can transmit among ferrets by respiratory droplets, and can be lethal for ferrets. (CIDRAP)
• Heat has increased cow deaths and worsened symptoms for dairy cows on farms with H5N1 outbreaks. (Bloomberg)
• Monitoring for bird flu cases will get harder when flu season hits. (STAT)

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Health News: 

• A person in Iowa died of Lassa fever, an ebola-like illness, after returning from a trip to West Africa. (STAT)
• The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers has risen to 75 cases. (FDA)
• McDonald’s will begin selling Quarter Pounders again after beef patties tested negative for E. coli. (NPR)
• Costco recalled smoked salmon over Listeria concerns. (CBS)
• Arkansas had a case of locally-acquired malaria last fall, the 10th such case in the U.S. after 20 years of zero locally-acquired transmission. (MMWR)
• ‘Dreamers’ can enroll in ACA health insurance plans this year, but a court challenge could get in the way. (KFF Health News)
• Many older Americans don’t trust AI-generated medical information. (Washington Post)
• More than half of Americans don’t know how much their prescription drugs will cost them. (Axios)
• Dozens in Wisconsin were sickened by pizza inadvertently infused with THC. (AP)
• Healthcare access is still threatened in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation. (NY Times)

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Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• California food industry workers have access to 20 free counseling sessions through a program called Behind You. Workers in IL, LA, NY, TX, ME, MA, SC, TN, VA, and DC have free access, as well. (SF Chronicle)
• FL kicked off a mental health hotline meant specifically for first responders. (WFSU)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.

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Best Questions:

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We served Taylor Farms processed onions. Should we keep them off the menu permanently? 

Streamlining your kitchen by removing a prep step can be tempting, but using pre-prepped produce also brings risks beyond your control, especially with items lacking a kill step. This year, there were two major prepped onion recalls: Gill’s Onions for Salmonella Thompson contamination in winter and Taylor Farms last week for possible E. coli O157:H7. Processing facilities like the Taylor Farms plant in Colorado have strict safety protocols, but from the very beginning, produce is exposed to potential contamination on the farm. Consider whether it’s worth bringing prepped raw onions back into your kitchen. Cooking them can significantly reduce risk if you’re open to a menu change. Prepping whole produce on-site carries its own risks—like when an employee forgets to wash their hands after using the bathroom—but it would impact fewer people if foodborne illness occurred in that scenario. Irradiation is another option, though unpopular. A recent study found that nearly 1 in 3 foodborne illness outbreaks were linked to irradiation-eligible food that wasn’t irradiated, but it remains unpopular with consumers. For now, focus on what you can control: your menu, veggie washing & prep processes, and food safety training.

Sources: Reuters, CIDRAP, CDC, FDA

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An employee with a fever says it’s due to allergies. Is that legit? 

Allergies do not cause fever - it’s as simple as that. Despite the common name “hay fever” for allergies, don’t be fooled. If your employee has a fever of 100.4°F or higher, they shouldn’t be at work. They should stay home until they’re at least 24 hours fever-free without taking fever-reducing medications. It could be a viral or bacterial infection, especially if they have other cold symptoms, but it’s definitely not just allergies. Sometimes, allergies can cause congestion, which leads to a sinus infection, for example, but allergies alone won’t cause a high temperature. 

Source: AAAAI

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Best Read:

For a long time, E. coli outbreaks were linked to undercooked beef, but with advancements in time-temperature controls and regulations, fruits and veggies are more likely to be the culprit these days. 

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McDonald's E. coli crisis reveals why vegetable contamination is harder problem than beef | Reuters

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